More mistakes at the back had seen United race into a 2-0 lead before Smith gave Gers hope with a free-kick just before half-time.

And he admits knowing Ally McCoist’s men had contributed to their own downfall was the hardest part of the loss. He said: “You can’t give most teams a two-goal start and certainly not United because it played into their hands.

“They are dangerous on the counter-attack and have good movement.

“We coped with it pretty well but not well enough and every one of us is bitterly disappointed.

“It was a chance for us to get to a final but credit to Dundee United. They came and did a job on us.

“We have to accept it and move on. I would rather someone else had scored and we won the game – it doesn’t really interest me.

“I scored in the first half then there was the chance in the second with another free-kick. It wasn’t to be.”

SNS Group/Rob Casey

Dejection for Rangers goalkeeper Steve Simonsen after Nadir Ciftci scores Dundee Utd's third goal of the game

But Smith and his team served notice of their ability to compete again at a higher level with their performance against United. Perhaps even more importantly, they showed the heart and spirit they were accused of lacking badly in last weekend’s Ramsdens Cup Final loss to Raith Rovers.

Rangers were aggressive and up for it. Even though the errors ended their dreams of lifting the trophy at Celtic Park next month, there was no fan backlash at full-time with their supporters seeing that the players had given their utmost.

Smith said: “We have known all along we can compete with teams in the top flight, even though I’m pretty sure no one else believed that.

“I don’t know what was said in the build-up or what was said after the game last Sunday but the one thing you can’t criticise here is our effort

“I don’t think even last week there was a lack of effort.

“If we’d taken our chances in that match we would have won it as well.

“We gave absolutely everything against United but we lost three goals and were punished for it.”